RedsUnite: a man utd blog

Manchester United saw three goals from Cristiano Ronaldo today, as the Reds capitalized on a Newcastle side in complete disarray. With the victory, Manchester United pull even with Arsenal atop the Barclay’s English Premier League table.

Perhaps Newcastle United should have waited until today to sack Sam Allardyce. After a 6-0 thumping at the hands of Manchester United, there would have been far less surprise surrounding the announcement. Traveling to Old Trafford, where Manchester United had won 11 consecutive home matches, the odds were clearly against Newcastle. The Magpies’ resilience in the first half must have given the Toon Army some cause for optimism, but this hope was quickly eradicated as the second half saw the Reds score six unanswered goals.

Today’s scoreline was fortunate for Newcastle. It could have and should have been much worse. Newcastle’s defense was under constant attack all game, with the Reds taking 22 shots on goal. The Magpies were nothing if not lucky to find themselves even at the break, as United was scoreless on 10 first half attempts. But they ran out of fortune in the second half, with a clever Ronaldo free kick from just outside the 18-yard box, placed smartly under the jumping Newcastle wall, finding the goal.

United were quick to add to the tally as Newcastle compounded their problems by absolutely sabotaging themselves in their own third. Given horribly misplayed a pass into the back of his own defender, Cacapa, which deflected to Ryan Giggs whose well played cutback pass was slotted away cleanly by Carlos Tevez. From here, Manchester United’s victory went from convincing to cruel. Four more goals followed as a clearly discouraged and disheartened Newcastle side was inundated with seemingly ceaseless attacks. What must have made Manchester’s first two goals all the more crippling to the Magpies was that they did not come as a result of genuine attacking play from United. The Ronaldo goal was from a free kick and the Tevez goal that followed was a result of shockingly poor defending, not necessarily Manchester brilliance. They must have known how fortunate they were to be level beforehand, and once they allowed those questionably deserved goals–the foul that led to the Ronaldo free kick was slight at best–they capitulated entirely.

The result today came as a relief today, as the Reds inability to find the score sheet in the first half, coupled with a disallowed Michael Owen goal in which the replay showed him to be played onside by Vidic, had me wondering whether today would be one of those days. There was no denying Manchester’s resolve today, however, as they came out in the second half inflamed.

The result places us back atop the table, level with Arsenal who drew at home to Birmingham City today. Our performance showed only a sliver of what this side is capable of when clicking. If it weren’t for a truly profligate performance by Wayne Rooney our attacking play would have been even more clinical than it was. All in all it was a great result, as the scoreline indicates. We will look to build upon this form traveling to Madejski Stadium to face Reading next week. Now that we have drawn level with the Gunners again, here’s hoping that we have finally hit our stride and will remain atop the table from here.

What did you think of today’s performance? By all means, comment away.